Senate Sends Trump Message to Slow Down on Tariff Escalation
- Non-binding vote shows Republicans wary of taking on president
- Warning vote comes as trade frustration, economic risk mounts
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The U.S. Senate took President Donald Trump to task on trade but fell short of curtailing his power to impose tariffs.
In an 88-11 vote on Wednesday, the Senate approved a symbolic motion backing a role for Congress in requiring tariffs based on national security, such as those Trump imposed on steel and aluminum imports and is contemplating on autos. The vote came a day after the administration said it would impose a new round of 10 percent tariffs on $200 billion of Chinese goods as part of a dispute over alleged Chinese theft of U.S. intellectual property.